Queensland Reds future stars in elite Under 16s, 19s team
Schoolboy rugby’s best kept secret player revealed here, along with all members of the Queensland Reds under 16 and under 19 teams competing at the National Championships.
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Who are the Queensland Reds’ future stars named in the elite Under 16s and 19s teams to challenge the National Championships?
Following an exhaustive selection process, the state teams have been finalised and they feature some of the most exciting talent in the country.
The championships will be played across October and November featuring NSW, Rebels, Force and the Brumbies’ best young guns.
QUEENSLAND REDS UNDER 18S TEAMS
REDS EMERGING CUP PLAYERS TO WATCH, GAME DAY HIGHLIGHTS
REDS EMERGING CUP PHOTO GALLERY HERE
COLTS 1 CLUB RUGBY TEAM OF THE YEAR
Last year the Queensland Reds Under 19s were a force to be reckoned with, finishing second to the Waratahs, but can Queensland’s 19s go even better in 2023?
In 2022 the likes of McLaughlin-Phillips, Taj Annan and Will McCulloch blossomed in the backline and John Bryant and Nick Baker in the forwards along side Max Craig and Nick Bloomfield.
So who made it in 2023?
QUENSLAND REDS UNDER 19s
FORWARDS
Lehopa Leota (Brothers)
From Iona College, who knew about Leota in mainstream rugby before this season. Now the best kept secret in Australian schoolboy rugby has emerged to star as a running prop for Iona College in the AIC competition, win a premiership with Brothers, earn Australian schoolboy selection and now Queensland under 19s promotion. All this from a prop in Year 11 set to be named school captain in 2024.
Alex Kerr (Easts)
Kerr has shone like a beacon for the Tigers this season, being an elite No. 4 in colts 1 after helping Churchie claim a shared GPS rugby premiership in 2022. He certainly has the runs on the board.
Charlie Brosnan (Brothers)
Mark this name down in the little black book. Brosnan is an athletic marvel with beautiful hands, catch-pass skills and boundless energy. All this from a lineout ace who always gets the job done in the set pieces.
Will Rogers (Norths)
The Eagles hooker was a rolling maul specialist and his elevation into this company is thoroughly deserved after a rousing club season with Norths’ colts. He will benefit again playing against old opponents at the championships.
Rory Beech (Brothers)
The Nudgee old boy did it all for Brothers this season, both in the set piece - where he was schooled by the high class Nudgee College finishing school - and around the ruck when asked to carry the ball. He is a good, safe choice.
Pat Sowerby (University)
Sowerby was elite as a No. 8 for the Red Heavies in 2023 and selection here will give him a chance to further his development after rising from the embers this season after playing colts 3 last year. He’s an exciting prospect.
Trevor King (Souths)
Souths’ colts were one of the stories of the season but their elevation all the way to the grand final should not have been a surprise given the quality of player they had - including new prop Trevor King who only played a couple due to injury. Expectedly coached by Downlands Wallaby Garrick Morgan in 2022, prop King is a ripping prospect he has committed to the Reds long term.
Nick Bloomfield (Easts)
Bloomfield has certainly bloomed. The Tigers did not see as much as they would have liked of Bloomfield this season, but he would have been one of the first chosen in this side. Bloomfield is of course a Junior Wallaby.
Cooper Cameron (Brothers)
An unsung hero in Nudgee’s sweep to the 2022 shared GPS premiership, flanker Cameron went from strength to strength this season at Brothers with his exhaustive work around the breakdown, ball carrying and defence a tremendous asset at Crosby Park.
Jake Kurbatoff (Souths)
Another big part of Souths revival this season, the St Laurence’s premiership winning captain and lock is so athletic, the Brisbane Lions wanted him to play footy. He is a pretty good rugby player as well, being named the 2023 Queensland Premier Rugby U20 Player of the Year.
Joe Liddy (Easts)
If you were wanting an all-or-nothing loose forward to play for your life, then you’d choose Liddy. The Terrace old boy is a natural leader, tough and unrelenting who leads by his actions.
Pat Gavin (GPS)
Tall timber, but as strong as an ox, he has roared back from injury and will not be out of his depth in this class. He is quickly making up for lost time and is an inspired selection here at lock.
Tommy O’Callaghan (Souths)
O’Callaghan has a great pedigree - his grandfather is the great, late The Courier-Mail journalist Frank O’Callaghan, known in rugby circles as “Frank O’Rugby’’. How proud “Frank O” would be to see his grandson son don the Maroon jersey and play against those dastardly rascals from south of the border. Tom is a hard working lock.
Harry Bell (Bond)
The Bond University loose-head spearheaded the Bullsharks scrum. From St Joseph’s College, Bell is the cousin of Wallabies front rower Angus and is in the Queensland Reds Academy alongside teammate Usher.
Nitotimo Mateiwa (Bond)
One of the best in the business, Mateiwa will be a great asset to the young Reds campaign. Watch for his power and precision.
Isaac Nomani (Sunnybank)
The Dragons have had difficult years at colts level but their gradual improvement under Brendan Underwood has unearthed some willing talent, none more so than Nomani. He had to play lock, but his best position is in the back row and give Queensland an extra line out option.
Aiden Taylor (Brothers)
Matched hardened and coming off premiership success for Brothers, he will be ready to rumble for Queensland.
BACKS
Callum Reidy (Norths)
A First XI cricketer and First XV rugby player from St Laurence’s, Reidy played halfback for their 2022 premiership winning team.
He is a great kicker of the ball and his tactical awareness and game understanding are strengths.
Campbell King (Wests)
A try-scoring threat, King played inside centre for Wests in the Colts 1 competition this year and has x-factor about him.
Denzil Perkins (Souths)
After a ripping campaign with the resurgent Magpies side, speedy winger Perkins earns a spot in the Queensland team.
He is so fast, but is also very strong.
Dre Pakeho (Brothers)
An Australian Schools & U18s select, Pakeho is no doubt relishing all the footy he is playing.
He was a Colts 1 premiership winner with Brothers this season, Churchie last season and this will be his first National Championships campaign.
Will don the No. 12 jersey.
Ellis Davies (Brothers)
Davies turned up at Brothers this year from Wales and had a ripper Colts 1 season.
He is an effort player, a back-three young gun who chases kicks, communicates and is safe under the high ball.
Frankie Goldsbrough (Churchie)
The strong arm outside centre from Churchie is full of hard running and tough tackle. He will love the contact while also possessing an ability to put his wingers away and impact the ruck when his outside backs succumb in a tackle.
Will McCulloch (Norths)
McCulloch had a break out season in the 2022 Reds Emerging Cup and from there his confidence must have soared. The Eagles fullback - an Australian schoolboy - has a brilliant knack about him and can kick goals too.
Will Nason (Souths)
Nason is another new player to colts football who flew into the Magpies nest after learning his craft under Scott Gale at Toowoomba Grammar School. It is great to see him in this company.
Ryley Bierton (Souths)
Winger Bierton is a fierce competitor, can kick goals and brings energy to the one per cent plays off the ball. On the ball he can finish a movement as well, don’t worry.
Harry McLaughlin-Phillips (Souths)
One of the discovery players of 2022, he has kept momentum from that season rolling and enters the nationals as one of Queensland’s premier players.
Tom Manca (UQ)
A Sunshine Coast Grammar School product, he is young gun halfback who played Premier rugby for the Red Heavies this season.
Luke Aiken (Sunshine Coast Grammar School)
What is in the water at Sunshine Coast Grammar school when it comes to halfbacks. Louis Werchon is a graduate, Tom Manca and now Aiken are all elite youth No.9. Talk about being spoiled for choice.
Joe Doljanin (GPS)
He is an athletic and powerful outside centre who shone despite his side having a struggling season. He will enjoy playing in this company.
QUENSLAND REDS UNDER 16S
FORWARDS
Bennett Armistead (Nudgee)
Keido Goulding (Queensland Country)
A gritty hooker who keeps his legs pumping and lets his actions do the speaking.
A great leader.
Kapelasima Hamala (Nudgee)
Charlie Hollyman (Gregory Terrace)
The Gregory Terrace hooker does the little things right, scores a bunch at the back of the rolling maul and would’ve been an easy pick for selectors.
Kiama Jione (Queensland Country Under 16, BBC)
A tough as nails No. 8 who gives 110 per cent on both sides of the ball.
The powerful Nomani is another deserving select after a strong Emerging Reds Cup showing at Ballymore.
If you look in the dictionary for Dynamic a photo of Jione should come up.
Ed Kasprowicz (Nudgee)
The towering Kasprowicz made the Under 15s side last year and continues his development here after helping Nudgee to their 44th GPS rugby title.
Has upside.
Oliver Nasser (Gregory Terrace)
He plays the same position of hooker as his older brother Josh who plays for the Queensland Reds.
We haven’t seen much of him but is of good pedigree. The Nasser family tree is choke full of sporting high achievers both on the rugby field and in the water polo pool.
Ollie is the son of Queensland and Wallaby flanker Brendan “Bobby’’ Nasser, a tough-as-teak blindside flanker who used to confront the NSW Waratahs with intense ferocity.
Another noted for being a good team man, Brendan was a member of the 1991 World Cup winning Wallaby squad.
Gray O’Neill (BBC)
Queensland shouldn’t have any troubles winning lineouts with O’Neill and Kasprowicz that’s for sure.
It came as no surprise seeing O’Neill, who played very well for BBC this year, make this team.
Similar player to John Bryant, O’Neill is skilful, silky, and poses the question what will he develop into?
Trent Picot (BSHS)
Will win ball at the breakdown, and will do anything for the team.
A Brisbane Tigers junior league rep, Picot played for the BSHS First XV this season and was a consistent performer at No.8.
Ethan Ramsay (St Peters Lutheran College)
Ramsay is from a famous swimming family — his dad and his sister have swum for the Australian Dolphins — and while he is also excellent in the pool, he is an athletic back rower.
Ramsay will provide go forward and plenty of it.
Jack Randall (BBC)
A lock brimming with potential.
From Port Macquarie now at BBC, Randall played half the season in the 16As before moving into the firsts in the absence of the injured Avery Thomson.
Tough, uncompromising and 195cm tall.
Isaac Rauluni (Nudgee)
His dad (Jacob) can play and his older brother (Noah) can too. Now it is time for young prop Isaac to flex his muscles.
Liam Robinson (Nudgee)
William Ross (Padua)
Cyrus Suniala (BSHS)
Berakah Tuifaasisina (Ipswich SHS)
So strong and so powerful.
There aren’t many with the strength and muscle of this prop and with Uys his accomplice this Reds scrum will be moving forward not backward.
Kingsley Uys (TSS)
Jeez he is good and he will do damage in this tournament.
Give him five games and there will be a highlights montage readily available of Uys scoring, laying a hit on or scrummaging the house down with Tuifaasisina.
BACKS
Clay Andrews (BBC)
A fast-paced winger or even centre with untapped potential.
He would have gained so much from the Emerging Reds Cup and will be exciting to see on the edge for Queensland in this tournament.
Can carve out a time over the 100m.
Fletcher Austin (Churchie)
He played wing for the Churchie First XV, and fly half at the Emerging Reds Cup. He is a great utility player who could play a variety of positions in this team and do well.
Max Blanch (Churchie)
A beast on defence, a great line runner in attack and he is getting better and better at ball playing out of the No. 12 jersey.
Not dissimilar to Dre Pakeho who will play the same position in the U19s.
Jack Brown (Toowoomba Grammar)
Connor Clifford (Gregory Terrace)
The younger brother of Terrace First XV lock Noah had a steady Emerging Reds Cup campaign with a couple tries, some strong hit-ups and tough defence.
He showed a turn of speed as well.
Brock Coombes (Ipswich Grammar)
A big tick from us.
He communicates loud, makes a ton of cover tackles, cleans out, chases kicks and does everything that makes a winger good.
Do not forget he is ultra quick.
Callum Dalton (TSS)
Dalton manned the other wing for the SEQ Under 16s at the Emerging Reds Cup just gone and he was electric.
He was light on his feet, a thrill-a-minute player who bolsters this exciting Queensland side.
William Graham (St John’s College Nambour)
Will offer crisp service from scrumhalf and although quiet at the Emerging Reds Cup, selectors saw something in him and for good reason.
Damon Humphrys (Padua)
It’s fantastic to see Humphyrs representing the AIC competition here.
A year 10 student, Humphrys can play fly half or fullback and has a wonderful kicking game.
Played Firsts rugby and rugby league for Padua this season and was impressive in both terms.
Finn Mackay (St Laurence’s College)
He played for the Melbourne Rebels Under 16s team at last year’s National Championships but this year he will wear Maroon after his family moved back home.
The fly half who steered St Laurence’s to their third successive AIC rugby premiership, Mackay is a tall playmaker whose kicking can win games.
Treyvon Pritchard (Churchie)
Didn’t play at the Emerging Reds Cup, but the flyhalf or fullback has zip, natural talent and an older brother, Kadin, who has just signed with the Brumbies.
Has freakish ability.
Max Romer (Brisbane Grammar School)
Outside centre Romer made his First XV debut for BGS this season and didn’t look out of place.
Following this he had a strong Emerging Reds Cup showing in the championship Brisbane White Under 16s side.
Myles Rosemond (Queensland Country)
The Townsville fullback talent was an entertainer throughout the Emerging Reds Cup, impressing spectators with his footwork, offloading, kick returns and willingness to NEVER go to ground.
Deserving.
Tyson Walker (Ipswich Grammar)
There could truly be some special tries in this tournament with Walker in the backline.
A fullback, Walker injects himself so well with his precise kicking and his ability to draw-and-pass.
Expect the partnership between Walker and Coombes to make an impact.
He is of course the brother of Roosters half Sam, son of Ben who played 138 NRL matches, while his uncle Chris played for Queensland Maroons and his other uncle Shane (178 games) was also an NRL veteran.
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